Known as Golden-Mouthed for his preaching, John Chrysostom served as Archbishop of Constantinople and died in exile in 407.

John Chrysostom was a renowned preacher and biblical commentator who served as Archbishop of Constantinople from 398 to 404, earning the surname Chrysostom, meaning golden-mouthed, for the eloquence and moral force of his sermons. His outspoken criticism of clerical and imperial corruption led to his exile by the imperial court, and he died on the journey into a second, harsher exile at Comana in present-day Turkiye on September 14, 407, at fifty-nine.

Quick Facts

• Died: September 14, 407, at Comana, Turkiye (age ~59)
• Feast Day: September 13
• Venerated as: Archbishop, Doctor of the Church

Who Was Saint John Chrysostom?

John Chrysostom rose to prominence as a preacher in Antioch before being appointed Archbishop of Constantinople in 398, a position from which he pursued reform of clerical and court morals with an outspokenness that made him powerful enemies. Condemned by a manipulated synod and exiled by the imperial court, he continued writing and corresponding with supporters from banishment. He died in 407 during a forced march to a second, harsher place of exile, at fifty-nine.

Historical Setting

Chrysostom’s episcopate fell during a period when the Church in Constantinople was deeply entangled with imperial politics, and his sustained criticism of the excesses of the court, particularly of Empress Eudoxia, made him powerful enemies among bishops and courtiers alike. Condemned by a synod manipulated against him and exiled, he continued writing and corresponding with supporters even from banishment, until he died from the harsh conditions of a forced march to his final place of exile.

Why the Church Remembers Saint John Chrysostom

Chrysostom is remembered as one of the greatest preachers and biblical interpreters of the early Church, whose surviving homilies on Scripture remain foundational texts of Christian moral and exegetical teaching. He is honored as a Doctor of the Church and as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs of Eastern Christianity, alongside Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen.

Canonization and Feast Day

As with other saints of the patristic era, John Chrysostom underwent no formal canonization process as later developed in the medieval and modern Church. His sanctity was recognized by the ancient, immediate, and universal veneration he received in both East and West, later confirmed through his formal recognition as a Doctor of the Church. His relics were solemnly returned to Constantinople decades after his death as a mark of the Church’s vindication of him.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

Chrysostom’s willingness to criticize abuses of power at real personal cost, even from within the Church’s own hierarchy, is a sharp reminder that fidelity to the Gospel sometimes requires speaking uncomfortable truths to those with authority over oneself. His exile and death show that such honesty may never be rewarded in this life.

A Prayer to Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom, golden-voiced preacher who would not soften the truth to please the powerful, pray for preachers and teachers today, that we may speak honestly even when it costs us dearly. Amen.

Sources

• Roman Martyrology
• Butler’s Lives of the Saints
• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia
• Encyclopaedia Britannica